Such defrosting apparatus are known from the state of the art and are, for example, so called tumblers or mixers and are e.g. built by the applicant of the present patent application. The product, particularly a food product, is supplied to the vessel in a frozen state, for example at a temperature of −18° C., and is in most cases as large books comprising a multitude of individual chunks, which is subsequently defrosted. During the defrosting, the vessel preferably rotates and/or the product is moved inside the vessel for example by one or more baffles and/or paddles which preferably move relative to the vessel and/or the vessel moves relative to the baffles/paddles. The sidewalls of the vessel and/or the baffles and/or paddles are heated and/or steam is added to the vessel to defrost the product. A liquid, for example a brine, and/or a spice can be added to the product prior and/or during defrosting. During defrosting, the block falls apart into a multitude of smaller chunks. The defrosting apparatus according to the state of the art have, however, the problem that the surface of the products is easily overheated, i.e. partially cooked, during defrosting, which is not desirable and/or that the defrosting apparatus and/or the defrosting process is not energy-efficient.
It was therefore the problem of the present invention to provide a defrosting apparatus and a defrosting process which do not comprise the deficiencies according to the state of the art.